Former for berry-crates



.(No Model.)

' 04S. ANDREWS.

PDRMER Por; BERRY GRATBS. No. 467,026. Patented Jan. 12

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A TTU/MIE YS UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. ANDREVS, OF VILMINGTON, yNORTH CAROLINA.

FORMER FoR el-:RRY-oRA'rlas.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,026, dated January l2, 1892.

AptlicaionflledAprll15,1891. -sain No. 389.108. cio model.)

To @ZZ wiz/0m it may 0071.067172.;-

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. ANDREWS, residing at \Vilmington,'in the county of New Hanover and State of North Carolina, have invented a certain new and useful Former for Berry-Crates, of wllicll the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a suitably-constructed former whicll can be employed in the manufacture of berry-crates, and which will serve to facilitate the construction of said crates whereby they can be quickly and more effectually made.

To this end my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of the several parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully explained, andr particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a perspective view ot' my iinproved berry-crate forlner. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof showing the sides and ends of the crate-body framed thereon. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, the bottom of the crate being shown about to be slipped in position. Fig. 4 is a detail view, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the folmer on the line 5 5, Fig. l, with the crate-frame completed thereon, and illustrat-` ing the manner in which the lid is hinged to said frame; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a berry-crate constructed upon my improved forlner. Y

In the accompanying drawings the former consists of a rectangular skeleton frame, formed, preferably, of cast metal, in the end walls a of which are formed bearings a', which are connected by a sleeve a2, in which fits the end of an operating-shaft B, nlounted in a bearing or bearings b, and which maybe revolved by hand or power, said former being arranged with its longitudinal axis horizontal and to turn with said shaft. The upper face a3 of the former is fornled with a series of rib-like projections d4, between which a series of seats a5 are formed, in which the side slats of the crate are laid.

By reference to Fig. l of the drawings it will be observed that four seats or recesses 'd5 are provided, the outer ends of the former being projected, as at a6, to hold the outer two side slats ill place, and at the upper ends of the seats a5 a transverse ledge or rib cis provided,whicll serves as a gage, against which the upper ends of the side slats abut when placed in position, such slats serving as a guide for the end slats D as they are put upon the former. In practice the former is made of such length that the slats when placed on the former in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 5 will have their lower ends project beyond the outer end a ofthe former, so as to admit of the quick insertion of the solid bottom C, whichv is slipped in between the overlapping ends and side slats and secured thereto by the brads c.

In the practica-l construction of the crates the side and end slats are first made in sections joined by the transverse upper and lower strips D and E in the usual way, and one of such side sections is laid upon the upper face of the former, its upper end abutting against the gage-rib al, as stated. Such section is then held on the former by means of a turn-buckle or other suitable device F. The former is then given a turn and one of its ends is brought to the top, and an end section is placed thereon, such section being gaged by the previously-clamped side section, and such end section held bythe turn-buckle G. posite side section placed thereon in a similar manner and then again turned and the opposite end section placed in position. The sheet-metal corner-cleats H are then nailed to the meeting edges of the transverse strips, the nails as they pass through the said strips and the slats being clinched' by striking the metal-former. After the sides, ends, and bottom of the crate have been formed, as stated, the lid or cover is secured thereto in the manner most clearly sllown in Fig. of the drawings, from which it will be observed that the gage-strip a7 also serves to gage the manner in which the cover I is to be hinged to the side section, so as to permit of its folding down properly when closed and locked in place, an outwardly-extending flange as being formed on theupper face of the former, which forms a seat or rest for the lid-section as it is lleld in position for connection to the side section of the crate.

While it may be preferable to construct the side and end sections as stated before they The former is again turned and the op IOO are placed upon the former, it is manifest that the entire crate may be constructed upon the former A and the several longitudinal and transverse slats nailed together upon the former, the brads or nails being clinched as they engage such former.

M y invention is exceedingly simple, can be manufactured at a small cost, and by its use I can construct crates very much quicker than by the ordinary method.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s- Y l. A crate -former consisting of a crateshaped revoluble body portion, the top, bottom, and sides thereof provided with seats to receive the side and end sections of the craie, and means for holding such sections to the said body portion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The herein-described crate-former, consistin g of a crate-shaped skeleton metallic frame formed with a hollow spindle, whereby said body is adapted to be mounted on and revolved by a shaft, seats or recesses formed in the outer faces of the body, adapted to form seats for the Slat-sections of the craie, and means for holding said sections to the said body, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A crate-former comprising a crate-shaped bodyportiom a shaft for supporting and turning said body, a series of seats or recesses formed in the outer faces thereof, andatransverse gage-strip arranged at the inner ends of the seats in one face thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the shaft B, the crateshaped body A, mounted thereon, formed With a series of spaced recesses or seats in their outer faces, one of said faces formed into an extension, as at d8, a transverse ledge or gage strip a7, arranged at the inner ends ot' the seats on the extended face, and locking devices on the outer faces for holding the cratesections to the former, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES ANDREWS. w'itnesses:

H. M. Forum, WM. K. WALKER. 

